How to prepare for moving: personal experience. Important, interesting folk signs and rituals when moving to a new place of residence
If you are about to move to a new apartment or house very soon, then our article can be very useful. Read about the signs and rituals of moving, and how to organize the unpacking of things in your new home.
Would you say that when moving to a new apartment, all you need is common sense and a clear plan, a list of actions and a list of things that need to be packed? In fact, moving is a rather serious life experience, and it is better to learn some of the nuances in advance in order to do everything correctly and settle down as well as possible in the new place.
You may ask, will this be useful to you if you are moving to a rented apartment? Of course! After all, you will live there for some time, perhaps even a very long time. We also recommend reading our tips on how to improve a rented apartment and make it more comfortable.
Some rituals when moving to a new apartment
As we have already found out, moving from one place to another is not an easy, responsible matter. Don’t forget anything, carefully pack everything, transport it safely and, finally, place it in its place - this is just a dry summary of the sequence of actions, and how many labor-intensive processes are behind these words... And yet, most people still find time for one more action, we usually call these rituals.
At the same time, some rituals when moving to a new apartment are not without meaning, while others cause bewilderment and slight shock - there is no clear answer on how to approach this. Out of pure curiosity, you can walk through several of them, at least to smile, and maybe become interested.
Moving to a new apartment conventionally includes three stages:
actions at the old place (collecting things, loading);
transportation;
actions in a new place (unloading, arranging things).
In this chronological order, we will consider some rituals when moving.
One of the interesting rituals is advice from the teachings of Feng Shui, which more and more people have been listening to recently. You are invited to bake a loaf, pie, cake or something like that from the dough according to the recipe of your choice. The only condition is that the shape of your baked goods should resemble a house. It is recommended to eat it immediately before moving, thereby you carry with you the very essence of the house where you lived.
Another moving ritual is more mystical. In a vessel, preferably made of glass or ceramics, you carry salt around the old house, mentally imagining how it absorbs all the energy of your life in this house, all emotions, negative and positive. Let the salt sit in a dark place for a while, imagining during this how your old house is being cleansed of everything that was. At sunset in a deserted place, you should bury this salt and leave without looking back. After this, you need to wash your hands.
As for rituals in a new place, the most favorite of them is housewarming. It is useful and pleasant in all respects - a housewarming party will help you get to know your future neighbors and psychologically adapt to a new place. It is not surprising that this ritual not only caught on, but also became mandatory.
It is also recommended that upon arrival at your new place of residence, you announce your presence by taking several consecutive actions. You need to open the windows in all rooms, turn on the lights in each of them, and drain a certain amount of water. This ritual is useful because at the same time you will check the serviceability of all instruments and devices.
You can continue endlessly listing the rituals that have one thing in common - they are all designed to attract prosperity to your new home and preserve as much as possible the good things that were in your old home. You just need to remember that only you yourself can do this better than rituals.
Moving to a new apartment: interesting signs
An important sign when moving, especially if you are moving into an apartment after the old owners, is to get rid of the negative energy accumulated there. To do this, it is very important to do a general cleaning immediately after moving, thoroughly washing the floors and wiping off dust in all places.
We also know from our grandmothers that in a new house you can hang a horseshoe above the front door. This sign is associated with happiness and prosperity reigning in the new apartment or house.
But in the old days, bunches of St. John's wort were hung in houses to protect against evil forces and evil spirits - this is the so-called amulet.
The sign that when moving you should let the cat into the house first will help your new home become hospitable. That's why they say that the cat should come in on its own, you just need to put it at the door. In general, there are a lot of signs and even superstitions associated with a cat. Some take a closer look at her behavior in a new place, remember the places she has chosen. For example, in the place where the cat fell asleep for the first time, a bed is placed. But this is not always correct, because the bed is located according to the principles of Feng Shui for the bedroom and according to other signs. Well, what should you do if your cat falls asleep in the kitchen or bathroom? Of course you won't sleep there!
How to take your brownie from your old to your new apartment
It’s unlikely that many people today pay attention to this point, but in the old days they didn’t squeeze him into a new home without a brownie at all - they had to lure him with them by any means.
In general, a brownie is your friend and buddy who not only protects the house from troubles, but also takes care of the household. And when you are friends with him, you probably noticed that you are living well. Therefore, when moving, it is important to take your friend, the brownie, to your new apartment. The easiest way to do this is after packing, place a box at the front door with soft items in it, and then leave it for at least 10-15 minutes. Your brownie will definitely climb into this box and go with you. And some beliefs convince us that to move with your brownie, it’s enough to grab a broom from your old apartment.
One way or another, after arrival you need to let the brownie in. Place the same box at the entrance and open it. Then pour milk into a saucer and place it on the floor. The brownie will certainly go to eat from your caring hands, especially since he could get hungry on the road.
What things to unpack first when moving?
So, the car with all the goods you have acquired drove into the yard of your new home. But it’s too early to relax. You will have to unload and arrange things, and this will determine how successful the move to your new apartment will be. We hope that you have prudently numbered your boxes of things, and the most prudent ones have also written a list of all things on the box for convenience. Then the final stage of the move will not raise any questions and will not take much time. All you have to do is decide which items to unpack first.
First of all, you need to unload from the car all items that will interfere with the removal of furniture. These can be fragile chandeliers, a TV, indoor plants, etc. - all of this can be temporarily placed on the ground or on a bench near the house. Now you can remove and deliver the furniture to your home. As furniture is brought in, it should be immediately unpacked and inspected for damage in transit. This will be easy if you have the inspection report drawn up at the time of preparation. It is recommended to assemble the furniture, if required, and arrange it with the help of movers immediately to where it will be located in the future. It is better to plan this in advance and include it in your moving plan. If you did without a plan, just keep this information in your head and monitor each arrival of movers with furniture, giving them instructions for arranging items.
If necessary, you can walk with a damp cloth along the outer surface of the furniture and wipe the shelves in the cabinets.
After the initial arrangement of furniture and unpacking things from boxes, it’s time to get rid of the now unnecessary packaging in the form of countless boxes and heaps of packaging material. As soon as the maximum space has been freed up, it would be a good idea to wipe the floors. However, this must be done after installing curtain rods, installing blinds or hanging curtains on the windows.
The question of what things to unpack first has already lost its relevance, and it is the turn of those things that are lonely awaiting their fate on the street. Bring in the TV, plants, vacuum cleaner, bedside tables, ottomans, chairs, in general, everything that is left. When the last thing is included, and the entire list of things is ticked off on your act, all that remains is to look at everything again with the owner’s eye and sign the act of completing the work with peace of mind in order to let the movers go and remain in the circle of your family.
The more organized you are in arranging furniture and laying out things, not forgetting to remove trash in the form of packaging material, the sooner you can drink tea in your new home environment after moving to a new apartment and congratulate yourself on its successful completion.
“When I left the notary, having sold my apartment, fear suddenly came over me, almost panic. Why did I start all this? What have I done? I wanted to scream: “Give me back my house!” - recalls 35-year-old Natalya. “But just recently I was flying with wings at the mere thought that my little son and I would finally move from a cramped one-room apartment to a more spacious apartment!” According to a study by the International Marketing Research Institute TNS Sofres, 70% of us experience serious stress when moving. Especially women - 82% of them admit that they went through it with difficulty.
We often think that it's all about the power of habit, which makes it so difficult to part with a house, yard, or neighborhood. However, psychotherapist Maria Fedorova believes that it is more accurate to talk about attachment: “Attachment implies security, reliability, stability. A house is a lived-in, fenced area, it is imbued with our spirit and memories. All this is our history. This is the shell where we hide, feeling safe. Parting with her, we feel very uncomfortable.”
A person is characterized by a fear of change, be it a change of job, place of residence, or a new relationship.
Psychologist Alexandra Suchkova adds: “People generally have a fear of change - be it a change of job, place of residence, or new relationship. Any new situation increases the degree of uncertainty, and therefore anxiety: how will everything turn out now?” This is why moving is so exhausting. But when we make a decision, new potential appears in life. This is a sign of a desire to live, change, move forward.
This is a reason to take stock
Today it is difficult to imagine a person who would never change the roof over his head. If earlier the notorious housing problem forced two or even three generations of a family to coexist together, now young people, barely getting back on their feet, strive to live separately, at least in a rented apartment. Marriage, birth of children, career growth, divorce, new marriage - important milestones in biography are often accompanied by a change of place of residence.
“A change of place of residence is the end of one life period and the beginning of a new one,” agrees 40-year-old Yana. - This is an opportunity to redefine, renew and get rid of excess burden. I throw away clothes that have been lying in the closet, gifts from former lovers..."
These are not always changes for the better. Sometimes a divorce, loss of a high-paying job, or a credit trap can force you to move to a smaller apartment or change the center to a remote area. And this also increases anxiety, our image suffers: since I now live in a cramped and cheap apartment, then my “I” seems to decrease. However, any move encourages us to search for our own identity: “Who am I? What am I doing with my life? Are you satisfied?
Saying goodbye to an old house gives us the opportunity to take an “inventory” of the events experienced in it
This is always a summing up of interim results, and it is very important, says Alexandra Suchkova, to pay close attention to this procedure: “Farewell to the old house provides a precious opportunity to take an “inventory” of the events experienced here, to figure out what role we played in them, what we did wrong and what we can change in the future. If you experience farewell honestly, being aware of your feelings, then these reflections can become a psychological resource for solving new problems.”
Agreeing with this, Maria Fedorova adds: “It would be nice to say thank you to yourself, to others, to the house for all the good things that happened here. And also talk to your family, compare your feelings: what was important to you? How do you remember it? Such a natural boundary allows us to talk about important things that we don’t discuss in everyday life, and to better understand each other, and together figure out what we want to change when starting life in a new place.”
Saying goodbye to one’s native walls involuntarily revives the experience of past separations, starting with the very first - with the mother’s womb, believes Maria Fedorova. And therefore, changing place of residence is always traumatic. The situation is aggravated by all the accompanying circumstances: unceremonious or unscrupulous realtors, scammers operating in the housing market, whom you have to be wary of. Finally, a string of potential buyers, whose visits are often painful.
“Our home is a projection of our “I”, this is our protected world. And when strangers come into it, examine and evaluate it, we perceive it as if they are evaluating and criticizing us,” comments Alexandra Suchkova.
Why do we want to take old unnecessary things with us?
The packing is in full swing, we are packing things, throwing others away... And, looking around, we see that our nest is ruined. The old house is no longer there, the new one is not there yet. This intermediate moment is the most difficult. “Any transition is always a test, a step into the unknown,” says Maria Fedorova. “We see our nest, so cozy, beloved, into which so much effort was invested, destroyed. And we ruined it ourselves, with our own hands. This gives rise to a feeling of guilt and orphanhood.”
At every step we find ourselves in a situation of choice - which things to take with us and which to get rid of. And suddenly we begin to cling to seemingly complete nonsense. Some old concert ticket will suddenly seem like a treasure - reminding you of a romantic love story. Throwing something away means getting rid of some part of your past. Putting old postcards from childhood in a bag of trash is like moving away from those who once sent them to us. Torn children's books and a shabby teddy bear are witnesses to the continuity of our existence.
“I was going to give my neighbors the set left over from my grandmother, because I have two more of my own, much more beautiful,” recalls 43-year-old Nina. - But at the last moment I did not dare to part with him. As soon as I realized that I was about to lose it forever, it immediately acquired value. I wanted to take with me a lot of seemingly unnecessary things: my son’s school notebooks, a sweater knitted for him 20 years ago by my mother...”
We will build a new coordinate system, “tame” an unfamiliar space, acquire new habits, new acquaintances
“We tend to have children’s magical thinking,” explains Alexandra Suchkova. - We endow objects with special powers, and they become “speaking” and acquire “added value” in our eyes. For the same reason, we experience relief when we get rid of things that bring back painful memories.
When it comes to leaving, it turns out that even what used to irritate us in the house turns out to be an important part of our “fortress”: a harmful neighbor, piano scales coming from the upper apartment... The difficulty of moving lies in the loss of familiar landmarks and in the efforts that will have to be made apply to create a new living space.
We may laugh at superstitions, but nevertheless we let the cat in first through the threshold, then we rush to wash the floor of our new apartment for the first time. These ancient rituals are symbolic acts that help to adapt to new conditions. The cat will “protect” the house from evil spirits, and the water will clear the space of the presence of previous residents.
“There is no need to drive away sadness and a feeling of loss; it is much better to accept them,” says Alexandra Suchkova.
“At first it seems that we have destroyed, cut off some memories,” notes Maria Fedorova. - But time will pass, we will use familiar things, look at the photographs we brought with us - and we will discover that the memories remain with us. And this helps to “put yourself together” again. We will build a new coordinate system, “tame” an unfamiliar space, acquire new habits, new acquaintances. There are always new opportunities that open up for us.”
Text: Anastasia Vernaya
To prevent the stress of moving from killing all the joy of life in a new place, you need to properly organize the process and plan your time. The Village reveals where to start when the big day is just a week away, while moving experts and gurus share helpful tips and personal experiences.
Provide for everything
The first question: do everything yourself or delegate? Many transport companies offer services not only for transporting things, but also for assessing their quantity and preparing for shipment. Yes, you will still have to collect your personal belongings, clothes and books yourself, but at least you won’t have to worry about furniture and large household appliances. Carriers also have services for delivering boxes and other necessary tools - there is no need to waste time and nerves on shopping runs. An alternative is to involve relatives and friends in the process: this way you will have more time and also enlist moral support. It is better to send the children to their relatives so that they return to a new home.
The easiest way to choose a transport company is with the help of recommendations from friends and a banal search on the Internet. Private owners with vans also offer their services - this is a cheaper option, but various risks are higher here. When ordering a car, pay attention to how it is equipped. The van must not only match the amount of cargo in terms of capacity, but also be prepared inside: have guides for furniture fasteners and the fasteners themselves (belts), a non-slip floor, soft pads on the walls, and ideally, a hydraulic lift for quick loading of heavy objects.
Soberly assess the number of things that need to be transported and contact the chosen company: in some cases you need to order a car in advance, in others right on the day of the move. They will also be able to tell you how long loading/unloading may take and how many movers you will need. If you are worried that you will not meet the time-limited tariff of the transport company, and the additional payment for an extra hour does not suit you, choose complex tariffs, which many carriers have: prices usually depend on the number of rooms in the apartment. This will also protect you from dishonest workers who can deliberately stall for time and then persuade you to pay for a new hour at a cheaper rate past the cash register.
Knowing exactly the scale of the “disaster” is necessary not only for contracts with transport workers: if you are not a minimalist, it is unlikely that a couple of evenings after work will be enough for you to get ready (when you will already be tired) - it is better to take a couple of days off.
Purchase materials
You will need a variety of packaging to ensure your items reach their destination safe and sound. Basic set: boxes of different sizes, tape, scissors and bubble wrap. To pack furniture and large equipment you will need corrugated cardboard, stretch film and foam blocks, for small and breakable items - plastic bags, polyethylene foam and craft paper, and for clothes and textiles - vacuum bags. And don't forget a marker to label the boxes.
With this list you can go to a hardware or construction store. If this is not your option, then online stores and websites of carrier companies will help. It is difficult to calculate the number of boxes without experience, so estimate how many you will need and take a decent supply.
To pack
There are two approaches to collecting things: by storage location or by type of items (first the entire bedroom or first all the books from all rooms). It is better to start with things that are used least often and definitely will not be needed before moving; Load more necessary things into the next group of boxes, and leave the last few boxes for the last day - there you will put the most necessary things from this room. For example, if the child is staying with his grandmother before moving, you can start with the nursery and collect it all. Often what is not most necessary is stored in the living room and office. This also includes seasonal items: clothing, sports equipment. The first aid kit and favorite frying pan will go into the last batch.
In addition, moving is the best time to get rid of unnecessary things: the idea that you won’t have to pay for transporting thrown away or given away things is motivating. Set aside the unnecessary things and organize something like a garage sale: throw a cry in groups specializing in the transfer of things on social networks - let people come and take what they need. There are also services that are ready to take away unnecessary items in bulk and then resell them at flea markets, for example Locus Solus or “Dump”. Display the most valuable items on Avito or Yula, and what was not taken away at the time of moving, put it in a box and send it to the entrance to the mailboxes. Those things about which you are in doubt about whether to leave them or not are also easier to put together: perhaps the decision will be easier to make in a new apartment.
There are a few simple rules for packing things:
Collect boxes in small batches, securing them securely with tape. The main thing when packing things in boxes is safety, in second place is compactness, in third place is the convenience of subsequent disassembly. It is important to monitor the weight of the box because an overloaded box can easily be dropped or damaged.
Boxes must be signed on several sides. Ideally, this should include the box number, the room where the movers need to take it, and the type of contents. Using the box number, you can write down its contents in more detail in a notebook or take a photo of it and sign it on your phone - this will make it easier to find the right things in a new place. Mark boxes with breakable items with a large exclamation mark. It should always be clear from the boxes where the top is and where the bottom is.
Clothes can be placed in large boxes or tote bags. When packing clothes, place them in vacuum bags first - this will protect the clothes from dirt and save space.
Wrap breakable items, such as fragile dishes, tightly in bubble wrap and secure with tape. Fill any voids inside glassware, such as glasses or bowls, with crumpled up craft paper, as well as any voids inside boxes. More durable dishes can simply be wrapped entirely in kraft, and polyethylene foam can be placed between the layers of products in the box. For dishes, take small boxes or drawers, the bottom of which is stronger.
Place small items in bags so they don’t get mixed up or get lost, and wrap them in craft paper.
Wrap large items and small equipment in several layers of bubble wrap or polyethylene foam and wrap them with tape, also placing them in large boxes.
Large equipment is not always transported in boxes, but it is better to be on the safe side. If the original boxes remain from the moment of purchase, great. If not, choose the right size. Attach non-removable wires to the case with tape, and also seal opening elements, such as refrigerator doors. Wrap the body itself in polyethylene foam and place it in a box, filling the voids with foam blocks. TV and monitor screens must be additionally protected with corrugated cardboard and bubble wrap.
Before transportation, furniture must be completely emptied and preferably disassembled as much as possible: at a minimum, remove all drawers and shelves, unscrew the doors and remove protruding elements such as handles - pack them separately. Fixed elements (for example, legs) are wrapped with stretch film, the same is done with upholstered furniture and mattresses to protect them from dirt and moisture. Glass doors and glossy surfaces must be additionally lined with sheets of corrugated cardboard. The furniture itself is entirely wrapped in bubble wrap.
Day X: how to act
In large cities, it is better to move late in the evening, at night, very early in the morning or on weekends to avoid traffic jams. At the same time, it is advisable to leave the next day or two free to sort things out. Saturday is the most popular day for moving, so you definitely need to take care of the availability of available cars in advance. The weather on moving day is also important, especially if you are moving in the fall or winter: it is better if the forecast does not promise rain and ice, which can complicate loading and unloading things.
Make sure that everything in your new home is ready: the elevator is working, the locks are working, the passages are not blocked by anything, the crystal chandeliers are not hanging dangerously low. It is also advisable to protect the walls in the corridors with cardboard so that the repair is not spoiled. It is advisable to transport pets in advance by personal transport or leave them with someone for a while. If you are transporting animals with you, provide them with a cage or carrier in the new place - without them, the animals will not only get in the way, but may also run away or get injured.
Personal experience
Valery Mayorov
recruiter in the “Teacher for Russia” project, 10 moves, 3 of them to another city
The most important thing is to sort out the boxes. It is best to calculate the amount by eye, but always increase this figure by one and a half times. For example, dishes (one set) takes up one whole box, and it doesn’t matter whether there is still space left in the box. You can also put old T-shirts or socks there to secure the dishes. Be sure to label all boxes and packages so that you don’t have to walk around for hours in your new place and look for the shoe blade you need or your favorite pillow to sleep on.
It took me two daylight hours to get ready (I lived alone in an apartment for about two years). I was moving with a dog. He is calm and patient. He waited the whole time while I was packing the boxes, then he calmly sat with me in the back of the car and drove to the new place. Later, when I came to pick up all sorts of small things from the old apartment, he was waiting for me in the new place.
Taking things apart is a different story. Here you just need to pull yourself together and do it at once, otherwise you risk living with boxes until the next move. Well, you can really save a lot of time if you sign these damn boxes.
Oleg Amursky
Deputy Director of the Department at Rostelecom, 10 moves
Last year we moved twice. Both - not in one day, but over the course of two weeks. I advise you to do the same if possible. At first, we collected and transported valuable and fragile items and all sorts of small things ourselves, and called a car for large and heavy items.
At the same time, it seems to me that the boxes are more about an office move or something from American films, because both carrying and assembling them is very inconvenient. We used large checkered bags - they hold a lot of things and are convenient for packing both books and clothes.
I studied the market in advance and realized that there were several options. The first is to place an order with a company that professionally deals with moving. This is the most expensive way. The second is to hire a universal moving company: they also provide movers, but they will not have additional services. At the same time, this option is also quite expensive. The third one, which I discovered and have been using since then, is the YouDo and “Lucky Everyone” services. These are private owners who can be selected based on reviews in their profile, and their prices are quite affordable. At the same time, there is competition, different offers come in that can be compared. In my case, there weren’t that many responses, but there was plenty to choose from.
The preparatory activities were the most exhausting. The day of the move itself passed calmly: we just stood and watched the movers carry things, and made sure that no one stole anything standing on the street. As for the subsequent disassembly of things, we were unable to avoid living on bales. Our first move was temporary, so we didn’t take apart some of the items. And after the second move, we spent a month sorting things out: waiting for new furniture to put them in.
Alexandra Shubina
freelancer, 6 moves
I moved several times from one rented apartment to another. The ideal sequence of actions, in my experience, is this:
Stock up on bags, boxes, packaging materials, people (important: at least two people pack together and it’s more convenient, and moral support in this case is priceless).
Collect things from room to room, walking around them one after another. Don’t forget about window sills, built-in wardrobes, mezzanines, storage under the sofa, balcony, refrigerator with freezer and the like.
The most time-consuming items are kitchen utensils and dishes: they require careful packaging.
Essential items: hygiene items, towels, essential clothing, bedding - need to be packed separately.
It is better to put important documents and valuables in a backpack and take them with you.
It is quite inconvenient to transport flowers, especially large ones: firstly, they are relatively heavy; secondly, you need to cover the pots so that they don’t hit each other, and wrap the plants themselves (so that they don’t break, and if you move in winter, then so that they don’t freeze). This is where strong plastic or wooden boxes come in handy.
I ordered freight transportation a couple of times. As a rule, the standard three hours with one loader were enough: about an hour for loading, travel and unloading (there were from half to a full van of things). Some sites have an inconvenient booking system: you seem to order a car with a loader, but a driver arrives who didn’t expect to be a loader - I’ve encountered this a couple of times.
Marina Bogoda
coach, consultant, 10 moves
If you are not traveling to another country where every centimeter matters, then there is no need to try to cram the boxes tightly. Just fold it as you see fit. Full, but not overcrowded. Label boxes with fragile items so that you don’t have to read the text on the box, but can see it right away. For example, I used yellow or red tape.
For those who are having a really bad time with sorting boxes, you can use this technique: write the date large on the unassembled boxes - say, in a month. And agree with yourself that if you do not disassemble the box and put things in their places before this date, then it will be sent to friends or put out in the yard for others. Because if you haven't used things in a month, you probably don't need them.
Expert opinion
Photos before packing are a way to try on a design project for an existing apartment if it is to be renovated, not to lose anything during the packing and transportation process, and to save your nerves. In the photographs, objects that do not fit (or no longer fit) into the interior will be clearly visible - and you can part with a bedside table, vase or collection of glasses from travel without sentimentality, leaving photographs as a souvenir of them.
The key to a successful move is properly packed items. The weight of one box should not exceed 12 kilograms, otherwise moving it will be problematic, and the cardboard itself is unlikely to support more weight. All detergents, flammable or toxic liquids must be carefully closed and packaged in plastic, preferably hermetically sealed. Additionally, use a printer and sticker sheets to print out a detailed description of what's in the box. Develop your own tagging system. For example, the name of the room comes first, followed by the name of the contents, then, if necessary, a list of items. When you move, this will significantly save time looking for cutlery or cosmetics.
Loaders can provide additional services: as a rule, the cost of their services includes packing things, disassembling/assembling furniture and assistance with loading. For an additional fee, they can take old household appliances, furniture, and construction waste for recycling. Discuss these tasks in advance.
When moving to a new apartment, it is worth considering in advance where the furniture and equipment will be located in order to quickly orient the movers and reduce their work time. Don't skimp on packing the things you care about, especially if the travel time is long.
Arrange the boxes in the truck bed in blocks, depending on the room they are intended for. For example, clothes and hangers - in a box for the bedroom, dishes and tablecloth - in the kitchen box.
Photos: cover, 5 -
As a person who has changed 9 places of residence throughout his life and moved several times from apartment to apartment within the same locality, I can fully confirm the veracity of the popular comparison of moving with two fires.
Moving without damage or loss of property, without wasting your nerves and health? This probably only happens in advertising videos of moving companies, but in reality the situation looks much more complicated.
So, in order...
Documentation
If you are moving from city to city, and not to the next street, then before leaving you need to prepare a package of documents.
Dismissal. Don’t forget your work book, health book (if you have one), certificates of income (for 2 years, for 12 months, for six months and for 3 months) and average wages (required for subsequent calculation of sick leave payments when registering with Employment center for applying for benefits).
You can ask the employer for written recommendations or references (useful when looking for a new job). If the reason for dismissal is the transfer of the military husband to a new duty station, then this should be indicated in the resignation letter, attach a certificate of transfer and make sure that this reason is indicated in the employment record. This is necessary to receive severance pay in accordance with Order of the Ministry of Defense of July 11, 2002 N 265.
Child. At the clinic at your place of residence, you should receive a medical card and vaccination form if your child does not attend kindergarten or school.
Kindergarten child. You also need to take a medical card and vaccination form from the kindergarten. It will not be superfluous to provide a description of the child and a certificate stating that he attended kindergarten (in some regions, this certificate provides grounds for obtaining a place in kindergarten without a queue). And you also need to resolve the issue of payment: obtain a certificate stating that “there are no debts” (if there is excess money in the account, after the appropriate application they will be transferred to any other account of yours; for example, I transferred an overpayment of 500 rubles to my salary card) .
Schoolchild child. Here, in addition to the medical card and vaccination form, you should pick up your personal file. The characteristic, again, will not be superfluous. If a portfolio is maintained for a child at school, then it is advisable to receive it as well.
Other documents. An extract from the personal account informing about the absence of rent debts, a medical card from the clinic.
Collecting things
This is the most labor-intensive stage of the move. Some people prefer to keep or sell their belongings and buy new things in a new place. But if moving happens frequently, few people take this method of solving problems: most people cannot afford to completely furnish an apartment every 2-3 years.
To pack things you will need:
· Boxes. You can buy them at StroyArsenal, OBI or ask in stores, but the cleanest and most tidy ones are in pharmacies. You will need at least 30 boxes (we, a family of 4, use at least a hundred boxes in which we pack toys, dishes, interior items, furniture, books, etc.).
· Large plastic bags. You will need both garbage ones and those that sell flour or sugar (you can buy them at a hardware store). We pack clothes, textiles, bedding in them, maybe even shoes if you don’t mind.
· Air bubble film for packaging fragile items and equipment.
· Stretch film for packaging upholstered furniture parts.
· Scotch tape, twine.
You will have to spend a lot on packaging: for example, on our last move we spent 1,500 rubles on just one piece of tape.
All furniture needs to be disassembled, especially if a Russian Railways container is chosen for transportation, otherwise a box of firewood will arrive at your new place of residence. And it will be more convenient for movers: a large cabinet runs the risk of not moving.
During transportation, refrigerators, dishwashers and washing machines are most often damaged. They get dents, scratches, and chipped enamel, so you need to pack them especially carefully (old blankets are great for this).
Each box should be numbered on all sides, and on a separate sheet of paper, write in detail what is contained in them. This information will be very useful in your new place.
Transportation
Things are transported over short distances by trucks. From Khabarovsk to Moscow, it is unlikely that any transport company will undertake delivery in this way, and it will cost too much. Russian Railways will come to the rescue. True, there is one BUT: 3- and 5-ton containers have been abolished since 2013, and only large 20-ton containers are offered for transporting personal belongings. They are significantly more expensive, and things “dangle” in them; this must be taken into account when placing cargo in a container (evenly along the bottom, and not in a pile in one corner). By the way, you can drive a passenger car into a 20-ton container and place your things on a rack on top of it. Military personnel often do this when they move from the Far East (cars are cheaper there) to the European part of Russia or the Urals.
Take pity on your friends and relatives and hire movers! They know the specifics of placing things in a truck bed and container. So, during one of the moves, we had big doubts that all our things would fit into the ordered 5-ton truck. For this reason, we have even compiled a list of boxes with things that can be left behind if something happens. But the movers loaded things into the container so skillfully that everything we planned for transportation included. It was a real miracle, and the work of real professionals!
Our move is planned for the end of August, and I’m already slowly starting to buy packaging materials and give things away. And my heart is sad that we will have to leave the city we already love, that we are leaving our friends here, that we will no longer be able to take part in the Stroller Parade and other events organized by Yu-mama. But a new and, I hope, better life awaits us. And you can access your beloved Yu-mama from any corner of the world where there is access to the Internet!
Moving to another city, although drastic, is an easy way to part with the past and start a new life. Let's look at how to move correctly and what to consider when changing your place of residence.
Why do people move to other cities
Favorable ecology and beautiful nature. Families with small children want their children to grow up healthy and active, so they often move from noisy and dirty cities to eco-villages. The same reason often motivates older people, in particular those whose life and work took place in environmentally unfavorable regions. For example, I am very lucky with nature. There are steppes, forests with springs, and the famous resorts of the Caucasian Mineral Waters. Trips to the mountains and the sea for local residents are not grandiose plans, but a pleasant routine.
Prospects and living conditions. Big cities offer a lot of opportunities for career development. In addition, their road and social infrastructure is more developed.
Forced relocation. Associated with a variety of reasons, for example, a long business trip, military service, or some life circumstances that force you to sell your home and buy real estate in another place where prices are lower.
Taking care of children. Often the reason for moving to another city is the desire of parents to provide their children with better living conditions. Young people want to settle in the capital or other large cities, because there are many prospects and opportunities, the best universities in the country and fewer problems with enrolling a child in school or kindergarten.
Changes in family composition. You celebrated your wedding, children appeared and it turned out that your previous apartment has become too cramped. Or vice versa - the children have grown up and started their own families, and now it’s hard to look after a big house; it’s more advisable to move to an apartment.
Availability of free money. Free funds can be invested in real estate by choosing a good or even prestigious area for this, it all depends on the allocated amount. Perhaps this is maternity capital or personal savings, and they need to be invested in housing as quickly as possible.
Now that the motivation for moving to another city is more clear, let’s figure out what difficulties a person who has set this goal faces.
Problems that arise when moving
There are five main fears that haunt a person who decides to move to another city or region.
- We put clothes in bags and sign each of them;
- We place easily breakable dishes and interior items in cardboard boxes, having previously wrapped each item in a rag, special wrapping paper, or, in extreme cases, newspaper;
- in order not to break household appliances, we place them in polystyrene foam or bubble wrap, depending on the size of the appliance;
- the sofa, bed, cabinets and other bulky furniture are disassembled into small parts and elements to make it easier to transport them.
Changes in living conditions. After purchasing a home, you may feel that your old house or apartment was more familiar. The lack of comfort and “at-home” feeling is accompanied by anxiety and a reluctance to spend free time at home. Indeed, it is difficult to call a new house or apartment family, even if this is your first home. However, there is good news: the frustration associated with moving to permanent residence can be easily treated with time.
Deterioration of health. Climate change can affect your well-being both positively and negatively. For example, a forced move to the North can result in frequent colds. Moving from the Far North to the south to coastal cities is fraught with problems with blood pressure and the cardiovascular system. To ensure that when moving to another city the body does not present “surprises” in the form of exacerbation of diseases or inflammations, you should consult with your doctor before leaving, take tests to once again check the condition of all the main systems, and if there are any problems, take action. After moving, you can find a clinic that offers wellness adaptation programs. This is especially true for the regions of the Far North and Far East that are moving there.
Lack of friends and relatives. A person is social, so in a new place of residence it is important for him to find an environment in which he would be comfortable to be. Currently, many residential complexes are being built, in which people of various social classes are moving in. Often there is a situation where people live on the same site, but do not know anything about each other. How can this situation be corrected? Try to make acquaintances first on social networks. If you have already moved, you can try to find work in positions such as: journalist, teacher, social worker, photographer, videographer. They interact with people most often, which allows them to quickly make acquaintances. If you have a dog, you can easily find friends among dog breeders. Another example - sign up for courses, find activities in the city that suit your interests, or start traveling.
Loss of property. A problem that worries, as a rule, women. On the one hand, it’s a pity to throw things away, on the other hand, packing everything, including old dinnerware, Soviet-era carpets, hand-painted paintings, etc., is quite expensive, since you have to order large vans. Some transport companies do not guarantee the safety of property. Fragile items often break during transportation and lose their original appearance. In order not to overshadow your move to another city with property damage, you must follow the rules for packing items of various functions.
Experienced designers of construction companies have come to the conclusion that it is possible to create comfort in a new apartment without high expenses. To achieve maximum comfort, you must:
Maintain cleanliness. Daily wet cleaning will create a fresh effect in the room and will not take much time.
Pay attention to interior details. Patterned curtains, original beautiful dishes, bright pillows, warm blankets and photographs lift your spirits and create the warmth of a home.
Hang paintings, photo collages, and wallpaper. Let the children smile at you from the walls, and let the huge landscapes, so fashionable in the last couple of years, brighten up an unremarkable wall.
Ventilate the premises. Unpleasant odors primarily repel guests and create unpleasant associations with the property and its owners. In addition to the fact that you need to open the windows every day, you can purchase or make various fragrances with your own hands, for example, sachets with dried herbs and citrus peels, incense sticks and aroma stones, diffusers and candles.
A responsible and serious approach to the issue of moving to another city will help you avoid most of the problems listed above. Additional information on issues of livability of human settlements can be obtained from the results of research by thematic agencies and authoritative portals.
For example, the Domofond portal conducts an annual analysis, where users vote for the most comfortable Russian cities. Below are the results of the 2017 study.
Also, the results of the All-Russian competition approved by the Government of the Russian Federation on the level of improvement are posted on the Internet in free access. When determining the most comfortable city in Russia, the Ministry of Construction takes into account all the latest results of the work of municipal administrations. So, in 2016, Stavropol became the most comfortable city.
In addition to data from various surveys and studies on the topic of relocation, it is necessary to obtain informal information from residents of a given locality.
What points should you pay attention to when moving to another city?
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ecology;
operation of public transport;
sports and leisure infrastructure;
educational establishments;
wage levels and cost of living;
quality of medical care.
safety;
It is almost impossible to find out accurate information on many aspects of life in a locality, however, you can register on the forums of the city where you plan to move. Residents will share with you the basic information you need. Although people’s opinions are subjective, after communication it will be more clear whether it is worth moving to a specific chosen city or whether it is better to postpone this idea.
The decision has been made, and you even have an idea in which region or district you want to settle. Now is the time to act.
Preparing to move to another city
To smooth out the negative aspects of moving to another city, you need to prepare in advance for a change of residence.
Nuances of choosing a region and city. When moving from the Far North or Far East, you must remember that a dramatic change in climate can have a negative impact on health. Therefore, it is worth choosing more. Young people can cope with moving easily if there are no serious health problems, but this is not always the case for older people. In any case, both need to consult with their doctor and follow his recommendations during the move.
Expenses. You can calculate the cost of transporting things using an online calculator, for example this one. With its help, you will understand how expensive it will be to pack everything you need, including furniture, personal and small items that you hate to throw away and want to take with you.
Job. Before you move, check the job market situation. It will be easier for freelancers who can work from any city. For the rest, it wouldn’t hurt to read the forums on the availability of jobs and salary levels. You can also look through notice boards for the sale of commercial premises if you want to open your own business in a new city.
Hobbies and additional education. When everyday issues fade into the background, a feeling of loneliness makes you think about looking for a new environment. To do this, you can, firstly, enroll in courses or enroll in a second higher education. As an alternative, you can get a dog, and there will definitely be people on your walk with whom you will have at least one common topic. If you are raising children, school and kindergarten will make it easy to make acquaintances with parents whose children study in the same educational institution as your child.
Your own property is the most important thing when moving. However, you should not make hasty decisions. It is better to live in hostels and hotels for several days in search of a suitable option if the housing issue could not be resolved in advance.
Resolving the issue of purchasing or renting housing
If you are moving to a resort town or a million-plus city, the cost of housing will be appropriate. Lucky are those families who have a good supply of financial resources or are moving from a large city to a city of the same size.
If having your own roof over your head is important to you, and the prospect of a long-term rental does not inspire confidence, pay attention to cities with the most affordable cost per square meter of housing.
You can find out the average prices for apartments and houses on sites such as: Avito, Rosrielt, Domofond, Cyan, etc.
We also suggest downloading and familiarizing yourself with the data from the Order of the Ministry of Construction of Russia dated July 4, 2018. “On the standard cost of one square meter of total residential area in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation for the 3rd quarter of 2018.”
I would like to dwell separately on the issue of transporting things. After all, proper packaging will save a lot of money and nerves.
Collecting things
When moving to a new city, it is important to collect all the necessary things and deliver them intact and safe. Collecting things will not be a problem if you pack them correctly.
They can use:
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bubble polyethylene;
carton boxes;
If you use the services of transport companies, you can save yourself from all this hassle by paying for the services of the craftsmen. Some companies that organize apartment moves, in addition to packing things, offer assembly and installation of furniture and household appliances.
The following tips will help you pack quickly and easily :
sort things correctly: collect fragile items separately, separate sharp ones, do not place household chemicals next to food;
documents, medications, bank cards and cash should be kept with you;
label the boxes with a marker to remember what is already packed;
Do not take absolutely all things with you, especially those that are no longer in working order, they will only add weight and you will pay extra money.
Don't doubt your decision. Don't be alarmed by the lack of confidence and sense of control - it's natural when it comes to moving to another city. Whatever happens, you need to perceive the move as a life experience or a quest that you and your family need to go through.
Prepare the soil. If you don’t have any relatives in a foreign city, psychologists advise finding friends on social networks or on the forums of city portals before moving. This will serve as a kind of emotional support.
Improve your health. Do cardio, yoga, and walk a lot. Physical activity helps cope with stress much more effectively than medications.
Pay off your debts. Before leaving, make sure to pay off all debts. Be sure that you do not have any debts on taxes, utility bills or traffic police fines. Also remember, perhaps you borrowed money from neighbors or relatives - then it’s time to give it back. This way, you will make the move easier on yourself from a moral point of view.
Be open to change. Whatever the situation and whatever the desire to leave for another city, you should not “burn all bridges.” Don’t rule out the possibility that life may not work out in a new place, so let relatives and friends wait for you at home and be happy to welcome you back.
So, to another city - a chance to start life from scratch. Ahead: a sea of opportunities and a new environment. If the motivation for changing your place of residence was the desire for change, and not some problem, you should not burn all your bridges. Organize a farewell party and begin a new stage of your life's journey.
